MGCCC baseball advances at MACJC Tournament

Two wins put Bulldogs in finals Saturday

FULTON---Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College will play for the 2012 MACJC Championship after beating Jones and Itawamba in the elimination round Friday.

The Bulldogs (29-18) began the day by shutting out MACJC South Division rival Jones 9-0 behind a three hit, five strikeout gem by starting pitcher Jarred Gates (9-3). Nick Boggs got Gulf Coast on the board in the fifth with a solo homerun, then Daniel Miles launched a two-run shot in the sixth to extend the lead to 3-0. The Bulldogs added three more runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth to blow the game open. Miles totaled three hits in the 16 hit attack while Michael Paul, J.C. Cassidy, Dieter Hamilton, Michael Gilbert, and Jody Harris all had two hits. The Bulldogs also qualified for next week’s Region 23 Tournament with the victory.

After Hinds beat Itawamba in a winner’s bracket contest, The Bulldogs took down the No. 7 ranked Indians 8-4 in 10 innings. Gulf Coast jumped out to a 3-0 lead on a three run homer by Ben Slaton, his 14th of 2012. The Bulldogs took a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth but Itawamba (38-11) scored two to send the game to extra innings.

In the top of the 10th, Michael Paul’s RBI single opened a four-run inning to put Gulf Coast ahead for good 8-4. Slaton totaled three hits and 4 RBI in the win while Dieter Hamilton also had three hits and J.C. Cassidy had two. Starting pitcher Tyler Bray went six strong innings, giving up two runs on four hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Daniel Wineski notched his third win of the season in two innings of relief work.

Gulf Coast will take on Hinds Saturday at Noon and must beat the Eagles twice to earn the 2012 MACJC title.